The Philadelphia 76ers and the Golden State Warriors are playing tonight for a better playoff position in the standings. While the Sixers are trying to secure homecourt in the postseason, the Warriors are fighting to stay out of the play-in tournament. The two teams square off for the second time this season.
Sixers vs. Warriors game info
Who: Sixers (49-23) @ Warriors (38-36)
When: Friday, March 24, 2023 at 10:00 PM EST
Where: Chase Center, San Francisco, CA
How to watch: NBC Sports Philly
How to listen: 97.5 The Fanatic
Betting odds per Draft Kings
Spread: Sixers +5.5 | Warriors -5.5
Moneyline: Sixers +190 | Warriors -225
Over/Under: 235 points
Latest with the Sixers
The 76ers are coming off an impressive road victory against the Bulls, 116-91. After losing to the Bulls in the previous game at home, the Sixers got their revenge in Chicago. In the game, Philly jumped out to a 17-0 lead, and the Bulls fought uphill the entire game. The Sixers never trailed.
Despite Joel Embiid just scoring 12 points in 16 minutes of action, Chicago could not stop the trio of Tobias Harris, Tyrese Maxey, and De’Anthony Melton. Each player scored over 20 points, as Melton started his 53rd game of the season because of James Harden being out with a foot injury.
The Sixers’ defense caused Chicago’s offense to stagnate and made the Bulls cough up the ball 19 times. The Sixers moved the ball swiftly, generating 30 assists on baskets, while Chicago only managed to dish out 18 dimes.
That team performance from Philly marked the seventh time this year that the Sixers held their opponent under 100 points while shooting 25 percent from beyond the arc and 45 percent from the field.
Latest with the Warriors
The Warriors last played against the Dallas Mavericks in a tight game that featured one of the most controversial plays of the season. During an inbounds play, the referee handed the ball to the Warriors under a wide open basket. Apparently, the Mavericks were not ready or confused about the situation, and an easy basket was scored by Golden State.
Dallas Mavericks owner, Mark Cuban, filed an official complaint with the NBA regarding the bizarre play that gave Kevon Looney an uncontested dunk. The Mavs believe there was a clear officiating error that ultimately cost them the game.
Surprisingly, the leading scorer for Golden State was not Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, or Jordan Poole. In this game, Jonathan Kuminga led the Warriors with 22 points. Kevon Looney secured a team high 12 boards, and Steph Curry handed out 13 assists.
The Warriors controlled the interior, out-rebounding Dallas 44-31, and they scored more points in the paint than the Mavs, 66-54.
What to expect
Because Joel Embiid and James Harden are doubtful to play, it is difficult to see the Sixers pull out a victory if they do not suit up. Yes, the Sixers have the best road record in the NBA (23-12), but the Warriors have one of the better home records in the league (29-7). With no Embiid and Harden, the 76ers could be missing a huge chunk of points and assists, as both players lead the NBA in their respective categories.
The Warriors, who are in sixth place out west, have to be careful not to fall into the play-in tournament. The race in the Western Conference is as tight as it has ever been, with only three games separating the fourth seed and twelfth seed.
The last time the two teams played, the Sixers won at home 118-106, but Golden State was without Stephen Curry, Draymond Green, and Klay Thompson. The leading scorer for the Warriors was Jordan Poole with 29 points, while Embiid put up 34 points.
The flow of this game will be quite different with a healthy Warriors core set to put up big numbers with a potentially Embiid-less Sixers team. Expect the Sixers to have issues defending the perimeter as the Warriors are known for their deep threat players in Curry, Thompson, Poole, and DiVincenzo.
For this matchup, the Sixers are starting a brutal end-of-season stretch against top contending teams. They could rest key players even if they can play, considering the need to have Embiid and Harden healthy for the playoffs, which start in just a few weeks.
Injury report
Sixers: Joel Embiid (doubtful), James Harden (doubtful), Jalen McDaniels (doubtful)
Warriors: Andre Iguodala (out), Gary Payton II (out)
